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Dragon Queen. 33
Mare’s eyes drifted around the room still unable to understand just how much had changed in just a few months.Llod poured more than one cup and handed one to her. She took it gingerly between both of her hands and could only hold it against her belly.Llod gulped his wine and smacked his lips. “By the gods, Arlankis has the best wine.”“The gods? Since when did you become a believer Llod?” Mare asked, a brow raised in question.“Since you commanded a dragon!" His eyes widened with appreciation. "Mare what you have done has set the wheels in motion, nothing will ever remain the same again.”“I could say the same for you, Llod…”“And you would not mean the same thing. I am not the one who is going to be queen. You are…”“Not because I asked for it!” she raised her voice mildly. “You speak like this and I cannot recognize you anymore.”Llod smiled, opened his mouth as though to speak then shut it and gulped the last of his wine. “Many things have changed since we attempted to kill the k
Dragon Queen. 34
“Have you finally come to your senses?”Serywithe looked away from her window to see the king standing by her door, a less than pleased expression on his face with one dark brow furrowed over the eye. It was past noon and throughout the day she had had no company, only the sounds of splintering woods as the men prepared for the tournament tomorrow kept her mind alert. She had watched the servants carry large wooden bowls filled with plucked birds for the feast. Two young kitchen boys had passed beneath her window carrying a large dead boar to be prepared.She held her hands in front of her. “I have father,” her voice was soft, she was trying hard to keep it that way. His outburst that morning had frightened her as was the one at breakfast the other day. “I have had enough time by myself to think I realize that perhaps I have been unfair to you.”He looked relieved as he fully entered her room and closed the door.Serywithe took more steps closer until she was only a few feet away from
Dragon Queen. 1
“Gods’s blood but look at these idiots smile and act like all is well when we are celebrating the day of the great dragon massacre.” All over Arlankis was celebration and festivity as everybody, man, woman, children, and babies, excitedly got ready to celebrate the day of the Dragon, a day celebrated to mark the liberation of men from dragons. Banners and colorful clothes hung on pieces of ropes were strung high in decoration on the streets. Clothes had been cut and tied in strips to form ferocious dragons hanging off ropes strung to buildings and little children poked at the dragons with sticks. The market echoed with the sounds of the smiths’ hammers as they beat metal into swords and daggers for the knights who would participate in the week-long display of strength during the celebration, reenacting notable battles during the Great War. Surcoats, chain mails, and armour were made and old ones were repaired. It was the biggest celebration in all of Arlankis regardless of division. W
Dragon Queen. 2
Night had fallen but the city was awash with lights. A large crowd poured out into the streets holding fires covered in dyed clothes so that they displayed dull red, blue, green, and yellow colors. The crowd trooped to the castle outside which was the open ground for the celebrations. Within the crowd moved a body with a black oversized cloak around its bony shoulders, covering its frayed trousers. He kept his head down and held on to the satchel on his waist as he weaved his way through the crowd. He was of average height and build, quick and light on his feet.By the time he got to the clearing where tents were pitched and different festive dances were going on around fires, he raised his hand to pull the hood of his cloak back slightly and gazed at the king’s castle with bright brown eyes. Huge, intimidating, and foreboding in sight and size. For a moment the boy knew a moment’s panic but in the next breath, he frowned, squared his shoulders, and continued to make his way. Behind t
Dragon Queen. 3
“It’s all my fault. If I had gone alone, if I had planned all this alone I would have succeeded.” Llod drew in the fluid running down his nose in one long sniff. Wiping his grimy wrist under his nose he cast Mare an accusing glare, “Yes it is all your fault.” They sat in darkness bound in chains on the cold dungeon floor. “If I had been more careful. I should have snuck in better.” “If you had not involved me in this I would have a small sack of roasted nuts in my hands now, dancing around a fire celebrating with everyone else.” Llod could almost taste the nuts he spoke of. He sniffed again and wiped his eyes, smearing the grim from the dirty floor on his dark cheeks. “You are right, Llod,” Mare said without a hint of her usual fire. She was not defeated because she did not have the king’s head, she was defeated because the sounds of Llod’s cries as the guards beat them mercilessly still rang out in her ears. Her back hurt from the beatings, and Veren’s eyes were swollen but it wa
Dragon Queen. 4
Silence like death came upon everyone in the inner bailey and outside the castle. Llod’s pitiful weeping broke the silence as they waited for the king’s order to have the soldiers lead them to the city gates to the blocks where they would lay their heads and be executed. “Better, stronger men - and the fucking gods have tried to strike me dead. What they could not achieve do you think three young, scrawny boys would?! You Baryns cannot grasp your place as slaves in my kingdom. Perhaps,” Vallezarii said as he hooked his thumb and index finger under his chin to assume a thinking expression. “I have been too merciful in my dealings with you. Letting you live was my mistake.” A ripple of fear went through the Baryns as every remnant of joy that had been etched in their faces while they danced just a few moments earlier was replaced with fear. “Tonight,” Vallezarii raised his hands and bellowed. “Death to all Baryns tonight.” Wails immediately rang through the air as the judgment fell
Dragon Queen. 5
The king’s concubine.In her honored naked state, the rest of the festivities passed Mare in a blur. Every event, the flowing wine, the never-ending platter of food, the never-ending beat of the drums, and the sound of the horns. She remembered standing beside the king’s seat looking out as the days bled into days.She remembered the king’s command to his eunuchs to get her started on a beauty treatment. She remembered fighting off the courtesan beautician, a eunuch named Hegi. She remembered the feel of his flesh under her nails when she scratched his face, the warmth of his blood on her hand. She remembered the sting of the king’s hand across her cheek and the cold press of a sword on her neck for her defiance.“Break her if you must but when the beauty treatment is done I want a sublime concubine, not this wild cat!” Vallezarii commanded the eunuch who, glaring at Mare, grabbed her and shoved her roughly through the place halls to the West wing of the castle where she would be kept
Dragon Queen. 6
Mare’s head snapped forward at the weight of the collar. Dazed and confused yet she didn't miss the line of chains that was attached to the back of the metal collar and when he pulled, her head snapped back until she was looking into his cruel face. His eyes were cruel icy blue slits, his nose broad and though the lower half of his face was half hidden by his light brown beard she could see the mean slit of his lips, lips that turned up at the corners into a cruel smile as he tugged at the chains.Rows of blunt ridges lined the inside of the collar, pressing against the delicate flesh of her neck.She coughed and choked. The metal collar was so tight she could barely breathe.Vallezarii’s hot breath fell heavily on her face as his eyes took in the sudden fear in her eyes. No matter how much she tried she couldn’t conceal the fear. She had not expected that he was going to put her in chains.He laughed. “You did not think for a moment that I would not consider your hotheadedness? These
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